Rail joint



April 2, 1929. KEOUGH 3,707,434

RAIL JOINT Filed April 5, 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet l A0 ATTORNEY April 9 929 R. E. KEOUGH 1,707,434

RAIL JOINT Filed April 5, 1926 s Sheets-Sheet 2 as WCFMLMVL A ATTORNEY April 2, 1 929. KEOUGH 1,707,434

RAIL JOINT Filed April 1926 3 Sheets-Sheet 5 LEAVING RAIL RECEIVING RAiL INVENTOR.

BY wk A w ATTORNE atente Apr. 2, 1929.

STATES 1,707,434 PATENT OFFICE. 1

ROBERT EMMET' KEOUGH, F MONTREAL, QUEBEC, CAN ADA, ASSIGNOR TO THE AMERI- CAN FORK & HOE COMPANY, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO, A CORPORATION OF OHIO.

RAIL JOINT.

Application filed April 3, 1926. Serial No. 99,475.

My invention relates to rail joints and has a special application to the problem of prolonging the term of usefulness of the rail joint elements co only employed for the purpose of joining railroad rails in end to end relation.

It has been found necessary to laterally disposed clamping side bars of rail joints after a certain period of effective use, due to the fact that the movement of trains over the rails employing such joint causes the side bar elements towear away at the portions of their surfaces wherein contact is had with the rail flanges. These side bar elements are usually made of a good quality of steel, and their replacement is expensive in material and labor required.

An object of my invention, therefore, is to increase the effective life of the side bars employed for the purpose of securely joining longitudinally aligned rails together.

Another object of my invention is to permit the employment of side bar elements having wearing surfaces of inexpensive material, and which, except for my invention, would be worn away even more rapidly than are the like surfaces of the rail joint side bar elements now commonly in use, but which, because of exposure to wear, are now required to be made of a superior wearresistant material.

Another object of my invention is to effect the production of an element which may be used as a shim or liner, as an article of manufacture, and which may be added to a worn rail joint to effect its continued use in a highlyeiiicient and satisfactory manner.

Other objects of my invention and the invention itself will be readily apparent from the accompanying description, in which de scription reference will be had to the drawings accompanying this specification and forming a portion thereof.

Referring to the drawings:

F 1 shows a sectional View of one embodiment of my invention applied to a rail joint taken on line 11 of Fig. 16;

Fig. 2 shows one embodiment of my in vention in perspective view;

Fig. 3 shows a sectional view on the line 33 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 4: shows a perspective view of another embodiment of my invention.

Fig. 5 shows a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4';

remove the w i Fig. 6 shows a perspective View of another embodiment of my invention;

. Fig. 7 shows a sectional view taken onthe l1ne 7 of Fig. 8;

F1g. 8 shows a perspective view of anothe embodlment of my invention;

Flg. 9 shows a sectional view taken on the l1ne 9-9 of Fig. 6; L

Fig. 10 shows a sectional view of another embodiment of my invention applied to a Flg. 11 shows a sectional view taken on the line 1111 of Figs. 12 and 15;

Figs. 12 13, 15, 18, 19 and 21 are perspectlve views, each of differing other embod ments of my invention;

Figs. 14 and 18 are medial transverse sections of the embodiments of. Figs. 13 and 18, respectively;

Flg. 16 shows a rail joint in side elevatlon; I

' Fig. 17 is a transverse sectionshowing the embodiment of Fig. 6 in use; and

Fig. 20 is a side elevation of the embodiment of Fig. 19 in use.

, Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated different embodiments of mv invention, like reference characters being employed to designate like parts in figures of drawmgs which show the same embodiment.

In rail oints employed for the purpose of securing the abutting ends of railroad rails together, it is thegeneral practice to employ a pair of rail joint side bars, one on either side of the joined rails, compressing these together by means of bolts passing through al gned openings in the side bars and the rail, and in such cases it is usual to employ side bars having inclined upper .and lower rail engaging faces for engagement with the underside of the rail head and the upper side of the rail flange, respectively.

It has been found that in use, considerable wear of the rail joint side bar elements and of the contacted portions of the rail head and P2111 flange occurs, due to pounding of the oined rail ends by the passage of the supporting wheels of heavy railroad trains. It has been found, moreover, that this wear occurs in greater measure as the abutting ends of the raiis are approached, and that the -wear s progressively less and less in contacting portions of the rail joint side bars and the rail from the abutting ends of the rails along the rails.

The practice generally has been to discard the side bars when the wear above mentioned becomes excessive and the rail cannot be securely held by the side bars, even when the securing bolts aretightened by turning the nuts provided upon their ends, such side bars have generally had to be replaced. If any effort has been made to employ shimsto take up the wear between the bars and rail, such eflort, so far as it am aware, has not prior tomy invention attained any considerable degree of success. I find that by employing a shim shown herein in varying forms but in most of the forms of which the shim is tapered in transverse sections from the portion of greatest thickness, at the middle of the shim, to its ends, whereat the shim is much thinner than at the middle, I am enabled to take up the wear substantially commensurable with the amountof the wear of the portions of side bars and rails contacting with the shim. In such constructions, 1 place the thicker middle portion of the shim at that portion of the joint adjacent the abutting ends of the railroad rails, where the most wear occurs.

In the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, it show a form of my invention wherein a transverse section taken at. its middle on the line 33 and illustrated at Fig. 3 is much thicker than the shim at either end, the shim tapering gradually from the line of section mentioned to both ends. lln practire, such a shim is placed between the finishing face 15 of the side bar 2 and the under side of the rail head flange 9, and extends along the joined ends of two abutting rails for preferably an equal distance from each rail end, as best illustrated-in Fig. 16 wherein the form of my invention illustrated in Figs. 2 and 3 is depicted.

It is to be noted that the shim illustrated in the different figures is bentintermediate its top and bottom edges, as shown at 16, this bend being preferably a gradual bend and so made as to cause the top portion 17 and the bottom portion 18 to be disposed at an angle slightly greater than the angle defined by the under face of the rail head flange and the lateral surface of the rail web 19, so that when positioned, as illustrated in Fig: 1, against such under surface of the rail head flange, the remote lower end of the shim will be projected toward the Web.

It is alsoto be noted that ll preferably make my improved shimwith its angularly disposed portions of different length, the portion '17 being of less length than the downwardly extending portion 18, and in an embodiment of my invention, substantially like that of Figs. 2 and 3 which ll have employed in practice, I have made the portions of this shim of such lengths that the upper portion is substantially four-fifths the length agenc es of the lower portion. it do this preferably so that when employing the shim of varying sizes of rails, the same shim may he used on a small sized rail with its portion of lesser length uppermost, and on a larger rail with its portion 18 uppermost and the portion 17 depending therefrom. In other words, the shims of my invention are invertible, and when put in service in inverted position will accommodate a different sized rail than when positioned in the reverse position.

The shims of my invention heretofore described may also be employed between the upper surface of the railbase flange 10 of the rail 1, and the under face of the bar 2, as illustrated in Fig. 1 of the drawings. The shim is so placed in this position that the lower portion 18 rests upon the base flange 10 .and the upper portion 17 extends upwardly between the bar 2 and the web portion of the rail 1. llf desired shims may also be employed both between the top and the bottom portions of the bar 2 and the rail 1.

Referring now to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings wherein T have illustrated another embodiment of my invention in which a shim 12 is bent at to form upper and lower p0r tions 56 and 57, grooves 6 are preferably provided on the outer faces of'these portions, these grooves being shallow and sufficiently wide so that the shim is not materially weakened. The grooves 6 convey lubricant applied at upper edge portions particularly to the bolts securing the same. It will be readily understood from the foregoing that the lubricant introduced will also'reduce the friction between the rails and bars and diminish the amount of wear between the same when the supporting wheels of a railway train pass over the rail joint.

The grooves 6 of the shim 12 also function to relieve the rail joint bar 2, in portions, which when the bolt holes 7 are punched in the shim, are caused to expand or swell. Although the amount of swelling effected thereby is small, it may be enough to prevent'oontacting of the rail with the said bar except at such expanded or outwardly bulged surfaces of the adjacent bolt holes.

Figs. 6-, 9 and 17 of the drawings illustrate another embodiment of my invention wherein the shim 13 is provided on the edge of its upper portion 20 thereof, with an upturned end portion 5 extending throughout the length of the edge of the upper face 20. Accordingly when the shim 13 is applied to a railjoint a channel 21 is formed between the edge of the rail head flange 9 and the upturned portion 5 for collecting applied lubricant and holding the same so as to work down within the grooves between the shim and the underside of the rail head flange 9, as best shown in Fig. 17 of th drawings. p I

The shim 13 may also be provided on its upper portion and preferably on one surface thereof with grooves 22 similar to the grooves 6 provided on the shim 12, as illustrated in Fig. 4, to provide passagesfor the lubricant to direct it downwardly between the shim and the rail head flange 9, into the rail joint.

In Figs. 7 and 8 of the drawings, at 14, I illustrate another embodiment of my invention, bent at 61 to form upper and lower portions having provided thereon preferably a series of slightly up-curved portions and alternate slightly down-curved portions 8, presenting a waved surface for thepurpose of taking up for the swelling of the bar 2, when the bolt holes 7 are punched therein, and to form grooves which are adapted to function to lubricate the rail joint, and to make the shim compressibly resilient. The shims illustrated in Figs. 1 to 9 and designated with the numerals 3, 12, 13 and 14 are preferably of a good quality of steel and may sometimes be 10 inches long and 2%,,- inches wide. However, I do not wish to limit myself to these precise dimensions inasmuch as my shim may be employed with rails of diflerent sizes. The shim has its greatest thickness at the middle, and I may make them inch in thickness at the middle portions and gradually taper them in both directions towards their ends, which may be only 1/64 inch thick. It will be 11H. derstood that the drawings forming a part of this specification are merely illustrative of various embodiments of my invention and that the dimensions of the various embodiments of my invention may be decreased or increased, according to the size of rail with one-way railway tracks are employed, the

which they may be used.

In the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 10. 13 and 14 of the drawings, 29 designates a tapered shim bent at 32 and 35 adjacent its ends to provide upper and lower bearing surfaces 23 and 25, respectively. The upper surface 23 is preferably shorter in length than the lower surface 25 and bent at an an gle preferably slightly larger than the cor responding angle formed by the under face of the rail head of the rail 34, and fishing angle of bar2.

The. lower portion 25 is bent at an angle preferably slightly greater than the angle of the base flange with respect to the web 59 of the rail34. The portion 36 of the shim 29 has preferably disposed adjacent its lower and upper ends longitudinal openings 30 and 31 adapted for the reception of the projections 26 and 27, respectively, of the bar 40, whereas, due to wear, and re-tightening of the bolts these projections are advanced toward the rail web 59. The upper and lower wearing surfaces 23 and 25 of the shim 29 are integrally connected with main body portion 36 by pairs of connecting portions 38 and 39, respectively.

In the embodiment of my invention illustrated in Figs. 11 and 12 of the drawings, 41 designates the body portion of my shim bent at 44 adjacent its upper end and at 45 adjacent its opposite end to form angular wearing surfaces or faces 42 and 43. The angles of these wearing surfaces 42 and 43 preferably correspond to the angles of the wearing surface 23 and 25 of the shim 29 heretofore described. Reference is now directed to the shim illustrated in Fig. 15 of the drawings, illustrating another embodiment of my invention wherein is a relatively narrow stem integrally joining the upper wearing surface'51 and lower wearing surface 52. The upper wearing portion is bent downwardly at 53 while the lower bearing portion 52 is bent upward at 54, both forming a part of the connection between the two portions 51 and 52. The portions 51 and 52 are disposed at angles relative to the portion 50 of the shim, corresponding to the angles of the upper and lower portions of my shim illustrated in Figs. 12 and 13.

T contemplate providing any and all of the embodiments of my invention with grooves in the manner illustrated in Figs. 4, 6 and 22 of the drawings, and designated by the numerals 6, 8 and 8, respectively.

In the embodiments of my invention illustrated in Figs. 10 to 15, the edges of the shim may project slightly beyond the outer edges of the rail head flange and the rail base flange, when in use, as best shown in Fig. 10 of the drawings, or may be sometimesemployed in embodiments whose edges lie within the flange edges. I

As illustrated in Fig. 20, sometimes where fishing surfaces of the receiving rail flange and of the joint bar adjacent thereto are worn to a much greater extent than the similar surfaces relating to the leaving rail, the direction of travel of the trains being shown in Fig. 20 by the arrow, the rails being therein suitably designated. I In cases of this kind, I may employ shims having a oneway taper only as illustrated in Fig. 19 and illustrated as being applied in Fig. 20, and

i in which case the shim is thicker at one end may employ the embodiment illustrated in' Fig. 21, wherein the shim is tapered from. its middle, longitudinally toward both ends,

as in the embodiment of Fig.2 but wherein one longitudinal half portion 67 is thicker in all parts than is the portion 68, the portion 67 being adapted to be placed in the same manner as illustrated in Fig. 20 for the I relatively disposed preferably as described for other embodiments, such as that of Fig. 2, but modified, in that the portion 71 is made thinner throughout than is the portion 70, both portions, however, tapering from enlarged transverse sections at the middle of the shim toward either end Where each portion is much thinner than at the shim middle. By this construction, it may invert the angular shim to place either portion between the rail flange fishing surfaces and the fishing surfaces of the rail joint bar, and depending upon the amount of wear required to be taken up by the interposition of the shim. V For instance, when the wear is slight, the thinner shim portion Tl would be placed in the crevice caused by the wear between the contacting portions of the rail joint, but when a larger crevice caused by a greater wear of the contacting portions or the rail joint is encountered, the shim portion 70 will be inserted to take up such wear.

All of the shims herein described are preterably made of a good quality of steel, but may be made of various materials, preferably metallic, and l contemplate making them of" materials varying in hardness, so that one grade of shims will resist the forces tending to wear away surface por- *tionsoi't the shim to a reater degree than will'other grades of snims contemplated herein, ll contemplate also making the shims in a grade whose hardness is not more than and preferably less than the hardness oi the rai-l splice bar employed, since such shims may befmanuitactured much more cheaply than the splice bar, and its replacement may be relatively inexpensive to the cost olreplacement o'i' a splice bar. ll therefore contemplate making three or more grades of shims-one harder than, one equal to and one softer than the splice bar adapted to contact therewith.

Although it have shown but a limited number of embodiments of my invention, it contemplate and herein disclose such combinations of structural characteristlcs as mak- 4 ing both longitudinally extending portions otthe'shim of other embodiments than that of Fig. 18 0t difierent thicknesses, and l may employ one-way tapered shims otherwise morass formed as in any of the embodiments herein illustrated.

Having thus described my invention in several embodiments, I do not wish to limit myself to the said embodiments as I am aware that numerous and extensive departures may be made from the embodiments herein illustrated and/or descri ed but without departing from the spirit of my invention.

I claim:

1. [is an article of manufacture, a liner element of hard metallic material, adapted to be inserted between worn contacting portions or" a pair of rails and a rail joint side bar secured to each of the rails, said element being thickened toward portions thereof disposed adjacent the ends of the rails and tapering in either direction therefrom.

2. As an article of manufacture, a shim o't' wear-resisting metallic material for rail joints, adapted to be inserted between portions of a rail and a rail joint side bar which have become worn, said shim being thickened in its portion adapted to be disposed between the bar and rail flange adjacent the end of the rail, and progressively tapered therefrom in portions progressively more and more distant from the said rail end, and of substantially uniform thickness along lines of section extending transversely to the shim and rail.

3. As an article of manufacture, a metallic shim for rail joints, adapted to be inserted between a. rail and portions of a rail joint side bar which have become worn, said shim being thickened in its portion adapted to be disposed between the bar and rail flange adjacent the end of the rail and progressively tapered therefrom in portions more and more distant "from the said rail end, said shim being bent intermediate its edges to form an upper shim portion adaptml to be disposed between the fishing faces of the bar and rail head.

4. As an article of manufacture, a mctal lie shim for rail joints, adapted to be inserted between a rail and portions of a rail joint side bar secured thereto and contacting therewith, the contacting surfaces of which have become worn, said shim being thickened in portions adapted to be disposed between the bar and the rail adjacent the joining ends of the rail and being tapered from its thickest portion to its end portions, said shim being bcut intermediate its edges to form an upper longitudinal shim wearing portion adapted to be disposed between the fishing faces oi" the bar and rail flange.

5. an article oftmanufacture. a metallic liner element, adapted to be inserted between worn contactingportions of a pair of rails and a rail joint side bar bolted against a side of each of the rails, said element being thickened toward portions theresaid element being thickened toward portions thereof disposed adjacent the ends of the rails and tapering in either direction therefrom, said liner element having lubricantdirecting grooves on its upper surface.

7. As an article of manufacture, a liner element of hard metallic material, adapted to be inserted between worn contacting portions of a' pair of rails and a rail joint side bar bolted against a side of each of the rails, said element being thickened in portions thereof disposed adjacent the ends of the rails, and tapering in either direction there from, said liner having portions of its surface, adapted to be placed adjacent the bolt holes through the bar, relieved.

8. As an article of manufacture, a metallic shim for rail joints, adapted to be inserted between a rail and portions of a rail joint side bar which have become worn, said shim being thickened in its portion adapted to be disposed between the bar and rail flange adjacent the end of the rail, and progressively tapered therefrom in portions progressively more and more distant from the said rail end, said shim 'being bent intermediate its edges to form an upper shim portion adapted to be disposed between the. fishing faces of the bar and railhead, and a lower portion adapted to be projected within the space between the upper end of the bar and the Web of the rail.

9. As an article of manufacture, a liner element of hard metallic material adapted to be inserted between worn contacting portions of a pair of rails and a rail joint side bar bolted against a side of each of the rails, said element being thickened toward portions thereof disposed adjacent the ends of the rails and tapering in either direction therefrom and bent longitudinallyat one side of its longitudinal medial axis to so form it that it comprises a pair of inter- I changeable shim portions disposed at an obtuse angle to each other, said element adapted to'be placed with either one of the said portions between the upper face of the side bar and the fishing surface of the rail head flange and the other portion between the rail web and the upper portion of the bar.

10. As an article of manufacture, a liner I element of hard inherently resilient metallic material adapted to be inserted between worn contacting portions of a pair of made and a rail joint side bar bolted against a side of each of the rails, said element be- 'tapering in either direction therefrom, and

corrugated transversely of the longitudinal axis of the rail against which it is placed.

11. As an article of manufacture, a liner element of hard metallic material adapted to be inserted between worn contacting portions of a pair of rails and a rail joint side bar bolted against a side of each of the rails, said element being thickened toward portions thereof disposed adjacent the endsof the rails and tapering in either direction therefrom, said element being of such a length as'to extend throughout the major portionof a crevice formed by wear of contactable portions of the pair of rails and the side bar bolted thereto.

12. A metallic rail joint shim insertable between worn portions of a rail joint compris-' ing the lower surface of a rail head flange and a side bar worn by engagement therewith, said shim varying in thickness in portions variably disposed longitudinally of the joint to compensate for the worn away portions thereof, said shim being of equal thickness along all lines ofcross-section extending transversely to the rail joint.

13. A metallic rail point shim having an end portion of less thickness than another portion longitudinally spaced therefrom and of uniform thickness along all transversely extending lines of section,

14-. A rail joint shim comprising a strip of metallic material having two longitudinally extending portions angularly disposed relative to each other, the shim being invertible to place either of said portions between worn portions of a rail joint, said shim being of graduated thickness to compensate for the graduated wearing away of portions of the rail joint, increasing in amount toward the middle of the joint.

15. A rail joint shim comprising a strip of metallic material having two longitudinalative to eaclrother, the shim being invertible to place either of said portions between worn portions of a rail joint, one of said portions being of greater width than the other portion and adaptable for use in a rail joint comprising a larger sized rail.

16. A rail joint shim comprising a strip of metallic material having two longitudinally extending portions angularly dis posed relative to each other, the shim being invertible to place either of said portions between worn portions of a rail joint, one of said portions being thicker than the other portion. 7

17. A rail joint shim comprising a strip of metallic material having two longitudinally extending portions angularly disposed relative to each other, the shim being invertible to piece either of said portions between worn portions of a raii joint, both oi saici portions being snitabiy thickeneci in per tions to hit a crevice formed in worn portions of a rail joint.

18., A raii joint shim comprising e strip of hard materiel having two iongituoiinaiiy extending portions anguieriy disposed reiative to each other the shine being invertible to place either of seic; portions between. worn portions of a raii joint one of seioi portions being thicker in some parts than in other parts thereof, whereby aii ports of said portion when inserted between worn parts of n reii joint, may hit the space formeriy occupied by the worn sway parts of the gointu 190 A raii joint shirn cor nrising a strip of inetaiiic nieteriei having 1 re iongitncii naiiy extending vportions angniariy posed relative to each. other, he shins. being invertibie to piece either or seici portions between worn portions of a reii joint each of seict portions being thicker in some parts than in other parts thereoii, whereby aii parts of said. portions, w-en inserteribe tween Worn ports of a rail joint may tiii the space iorineriy occupied by the worn. sway ports of the joint.

20. reii joint shirn comprising strip of rnetaiiic material two iongitnoe naiiy extending portions engniariy disposed reiative to each other, the shine being =vertibie to piece eitheroif seiii portions between worn portions of a reii joint one oi? said portions being thicker in some ports than in other parts thereof, whereby aii of said portion, when inserteoi between worn parts oi a rail joint, may fiii the space formeriy occupied by the worn away parts of the ioint the other oi said portions having parts thereof disposed. in transverse alignment with parts of the first said portion of a thickness differing therefrom.

21, A shim tor rail joints, adapted. to be piaceci between it raii joint sicie bar and a pair of substantiaiiy abutting rails of metaiiic material of decreasing thickness to wards its ends.

22. shim for raii joints adopted to be piaceti between a reii joint side bar anti a pair of substantially abutting rails, off metaiiic materiai of decreasing thickness toward its encis the thickness of aii portions of the shire. adapted to contact with. the raii being approirimateiy of such dimension as to occupy the space previousiy occugieci by worn away portions of the rail anci side bar,

raii goint shun coinnrising strip of metaiiic materiei having to longitudinaiiy extending portions engniariy disposed relative to each other, the shim being invertible to piece either of saici portions in the crevice formed between worn of a raii joint, both of saici portions being suitabiy thickened in portions to snbstan tiaiiy hit the crevice, one of said portions being of greater width than the other portion.

in testimony whereoi hereunto efiix my signature this 27th oiay of March, 19%,

EMMET GHD 

